Pripet Marshes Campaign

The Pripet Marshes Campaign occurred on 22 June 1941 during World War II.

Background
During Operation Barbarossa, the German Army Group South, commanded by Fedor von Bock, advanced into Belarus, clearing the section of the Pripet Marshes to the south of the Dnepr-Bug Canal and to the west of the Horyn River before conquering the Soviet fortress of Brest-Litovsk. The Brest Offensive had weakened the Soviet forces in the south, sending some Soviet divisions fleeing deeper into the Pripet Marshes. Hoping to corral the majority of the Soviet forces into a large cauldron around Bialystok, Von Bock ordered Heinz Guderian and his 2nd Panzer Group to clear the Soviet units beyond the Pina River in the Pripyat Marshes; the Soviet 28th Rifle Corps maintained a strong garrison at the swamp town of Dluga, which was also located at the junction of several railroads. In order to eliminate all Soviet forces outside of the cauldron, as well as to secure German supply lines in the southern corridon, Von Bock needed Guderian to clear the Pripet Marshes of any remaining Soviet forces.

Initial actions
Immediately following the successful conclusion of the Brest Offensive, German panzer divisions advanced unopposed into swampland to the east of their original positions. The XXIV Panzer Corps crossed the Pina River and secured more ground; to the south, the German 1st Cavalry Division entered the town of Yanov Polessky unopposed. The XII Armeekorps made it its objective to capture the town of Pruzhany, the first obstacle in its way through the marshes; the town was defended by the Soviet 30th Tank Division. The German corps, commanded by Walther Schroth, routed the Soviet tank division, which lost just under a quarter of its strength. Following the capture of Pruzhany, the Germans then decided to clear the Pruzhany-Ivatsevichi Railroad of enemy occupation, as the Soviet 205th Motorized Division